What About Tomorrow?
by DimariS
Summary: Ranger, Joe and Stephanie's thoughts on Valentine's Day. Written as responses to challenges on Perfectly Plum and Babe Squad. Now complete.
1. Chapter 1

**WHAT ABOUT TOMORROW?**

By

Dimaris

Chapter 1: Ranger

_RPOV_

I was driving back to Trenton from DC in what Steph called my "zone." My Babe thought I was planning an invasion of a "third world country." Little did she know I used the time to think about my family and, most of all, how I could make a life with my Babe, Stephanie Plum, or as the press called her, the Bombshell Bounty Hunter? Although she didn't think so, Babe was a **sweetheart **who showed **affection** and concern not only to her friends but even to her regular skips she brought back to jail.

Until now I wasn't able to offer her anything more than friendship since I could be called up at a moment's notice, sent to some hell hole around the world and might not even make back in one piece if at all. The meeting in DC with the Pentagon brass was about them trying to persuade me to renew my personal contract with the government in Special Operations. I told them "no," in no uncertain terms. Thirteen years was enough!

Yes, me, the bad ass Ricardo Carlos Manoso known as Ranger on the street and Carlos to my family. It was my time to admit my feelings and desires to Stephanie and I was scared shitless. I knew she wanted me but did she love me. God, I was so in love with her I couldn't speak most of the time. To me **the worst thing a woman can do is make a guy fall for her and not catch him. **The problem is my beautiful Babe didn't realize I had fallen for her and that was my fault.

**I feel the hunger you feel in your touch**

**Burning my body and soul**

**And it's frightening just wanting somebody so much**

**So close to losing control**

I'm always in control. The Special Forces training taught me how to control my emotions and never show fear. It works for dangerous situations and business but in my personal life—not so much. Now, though, I was terrified that my **heart** would be broken; I'd never offered it before. I was married for a short time to Rachel so our daughter, Julie, could have my name and financial support but I never loved Rachel. I **adored** Stephanie. I wanted to **worship** her, body and soul, for the rest of my life.

**But Darlin' don't make me surrender too soon**

**I'm so afraid of the fall**

**Please give it time to be tender**

**And pretend it won't hurt at all**

And what about the fucking cop, Morelli? Was Stephanie so attached to him she wouldn't want what I stupidly called "someday" with me? Trying to talk to my Babe about my feelings for her usually ended with my being an idiot saying things like "my life doesn't lend itself to relationships" or "I don't do stupid things like marriage or children" or some qualifier after saying "I love you;" but most of the time I was just struck dumb. Dumb and dumber that's me. God, if **love is being stupid together**, then I qualified enough for the both of us. When it comes to my Babe, my stupidity knows no bounds like the time I made that crazy deal with her when she was hunting DeChooch. I thought one night as her **lover** would end my obsession. Wrong! That night of **passion** and **intimacy** just increased my **devotion** to her.

**But Darlin' don't make me surrender too soon**

**I'm so afraid of the fall**

**Please give it time to be tender**

**And pretend it won't hurt at all**

Today I want to change all that. It's **Valentine's** Day and I plan to seriously talk to Stephanie about what I want our future to be. To prepare her I sent her a dozen red roses with a card that simply said "Babe." I'm pretty sure she will be happy to receive them but is probably confused AGAIN by me not saying more. I hope she won't send me away when I tell her I want more than her friendship and, if she does, I hope I don't lose that friendship. More than anything I wanted her to **be mine**.

**Slowly be gentle each step of the way**

**I've never been in love before**

**Let me believe you won't turn away**

**After I've opened the door**

Carlos, it's time to step up, suck it up, and go after what you want and I want it all! If she'll have me, I'll offer everything that I am—my life, my love, my heart and my name—but I'm afraid she won't want those things, too. She's independent and opinionated. She doesn't care about money or possessions, well, except for shoes, donuts, her hamster, birthday cake and, of course, her friends. Would she let me be more than a friend?

**But Darlin' don't make me surrender too soon**

**I'm so afraid of the fall**

**Please give it time to be tender**

**And pretend it won't hurt at all**

I just pray I'm enough for her. After surviving the torture handed out by the worst enemies of the United States, would I survive the pain if she turns me down?

_Please Give It Time to Be Tender _by Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge (1972)

A/N: Response to Black Heart Valentine challenge (Perfect Plum) and Cara and Teena's Let's Talk about Love challenge (Babe_Squad). Oh, and of course, don't own Janet Evanovich's characters just like to play with them, especially Ranger. Sadly, I'm not making any money.

Word Count (excluding song lyrics) = 726


	2. Chapter 2

**WHAT ABOUT TOMORROW?**

By

Dimaris

Chapter 2: Joe

_JPOV_

Well, this has turned into a shitty Valentine's Day! I called my Cupcake, Steph, about getting together for pizza and a hockey game. Hell, I even told her that Bob and the "boys" missed her. For some reason she got pissed and turned me down flat. It's always worked before. Instead she kept saying words over and over but they made no sense.

**Anymore it doesn't matter who's right or wrong**

**We've been injuring each other for far too long**

**And it's too late to try to say what might have been**

**It's over nobody wins**

What does she mean "it's over and nobody wins?" Are we over? Does she mean that Manoso wins? When Hell freezes over! Stephanie is going to **be mine** and as soon as she stops working that stupid bounty hunter job, drops her low class friends like Lula and Manoso's gang of crooks, and tells Ranger to take a hike she is going to be my wife and mother to my children. I may not drive **fancy** cars like Manoso—there's no way those cars aren't stolen. I just can't prove it yet.

She's crappy at her job anyway and unlucky as hell. Steph calls it her career like anybody would believe that. She always shows up at the station covered in God knows what. All the cops at work give me fucking shit about her and bet on her all the time. When she's blows up another car, somebody wins another pot. That's going to change, too.

I've seen Manoso **embrace** her, kiss her with **passion** and encourage her idiotic escapades. Hell the whole town knows about it. She always looks at him with hero **worship** and **devotion**. She actually shows him **affection. **I sure as shit never thought she could be bought. There's no other explanation for how she treats him. I know she fucks him and, probably, his gang bangers, too. That is going to stop now!

She constantly pisses me off and we get into screaming matches over all the mistakes she makes. Hell even her mother tells her what's wrong with her but she just doesn't listen. The only person she listens to is Manoso. All he ever has to do is say "please." Dammit, I'm tired of her doing whatever he wants like dressing like a whore and going to some dive to lead out skips! God knows, she screwed up more of my cases than I can count.

I've heard **a woman's got to love a bad man once or twice in her life to appreciate the good one**. Man, her ex-husband, the Dick, and Manoso certainly are bad men. Since I'm the "good one," she not only appreciates me but loves me. She told me so.

**Making believe in forever is just a lie**

**And it seems a little sadder each time we try**

**Cause it's a shame to make the same mistake again and again**

**It's over nobody wins**

It's true we've tried to live together over and over, but she always bolts when things get too serious. Why she can't settle down and be a housewife and mother I can't understand. After all she's thirty years old and time's marching on. What I'm offering are things every woman wants. I have a good job, a home and a reputation as a great **lover** plus her mother **adores** me. What more is there? There will be a forever and that's no lie!

**We've gone too far too long too far apart**

**The loving was easy it's the living that's hard**

**And there's no need to stay to see the way it ends**

**It's over nobody wins**

I've told her over and over what I want and what she has to do so we can get married. True, the loving is easy because Cupcake is not only beautiful but really sexy. She's Italian like me, too, and has the temper to prove it; the Hungarian part is probably why she's so stubborn. Good thing I can handle that. Morelli men know how to deal with difficult women plus if she tries to withhold wild monkey sex, I'll just call up Terri. She's always good for a roll in the hay. As a matter of fact, she and I are going to get together to "work" the latest mob case. What Steph doesn't know won't hurt her. I'm a man after all and I've got needs—daily needs.

My relatives will just have to deal with her being in the family; they'll accept her once she marries me, keeps house for me and has my children. My mother, my grandmother and my cousin Mooch are always telling me she's not good enough for me. If they want me to still be around, they'd better accept her. Anyway, as soon she learns to cook—now she can't burn water—and learns how to take care of me and loses her crappy apartment, we can live together until the wedding. After that, everyone in the Burg will know I tamed Stephanie Plum, the Bombshell Bounty Hunter. By God, they won't call her that anymore. She will only be Mrs. Joseph Anthony Morelli for the rest of her life.

**It's over nobody wins**

Well, she's wrong and I'm going over there to tell her so as soon as I go to Pino's for pizza. Besides, she always caves when I'm near her. Today will be no different. Right now I don't need **affection **or **tenderness** just a lot of balls to the wall sex. Manoso can just go fuck himself because I AM GOING TO WIN!

_Nobody Wins_ by Kris Kristofferson (1972)

A/N: Response to Black Heart Valentine challenge scenario (Perfect Plum) and Cara and Teena's Let's Talk about Love challenge (Babe_Squad). Oh, and of course, don't own Janet Evanovich's characters just like to play with them, especially Ranger. Sadly, I'm not making any money.

Word Count (excluding song lyrics) = 839


	3. Chapter 3

**WHAT ABOUT TOMORROW?**

By

Dimaris

Chapter 3: Stephanie

_SPOV_

This day just keeps getting better and better. I've already had two arguments with Joe, Ranger is "in the wind" for God knows how long and I have no date tonight for Valentine's Day. Stupid cupid. In Ranger's defense he did send me a dozen beautiful red roses. At least they weren't from a stalker for a change. To be honest sending me flowers was a very un-Ranger-like thing to do. I guess he wants me to do a job for his company; at least my bank account will be happier. It wasn't very exciting right now. I have no money and a major credit card balance. Wonder what kind of slut Ranger wants me to dress up like.

Earlier I had to bring in Bernie Martinetti for indecent exposure and aggravated assault. The son of a bitch tried to piss on me AND cut me. I ran him down, wrestled his little knife away from him, got tossed into a shitload of garbage and hauled his nasty ass to jail--all that for $350. It's just not fair.

Needless to say, the cops laughed their butts off and Morelli once again made a big scene. Then the bastard had the nerve to call me a little while ago asking me to come over for pizza, beer, a hockey game and to take care of his "boys." I told him it's over but I doubt he ever heard a word I said. He never does.

On top of everything else my mom called to rant about my job, my disappointment as a daughter, my marrying "Joseph" Morelli, my getting too old to have kids and the scene at the cop shop. Sometimes I wish I had the guts to tell both Joe and Mom to shut the fuck up. As Scarlett would say, I'll think about it tomorrow.

Connie at the office just called to tell me there were some more files for me and ask me what my plans were for tonight. She and Lula are all excited because they have dates for dinner and dancing. I wish! Guess I'll just stay home, eat a peanut and olive sandwich, watch Ghostbusters and crash. Tomorrow I'll go in early, pick up my files and try to bring some skips and money in. Also, all my bounty hunting clothes are history thanks to people like Bernie so anything I get will have to go toward upgrading my wardrobe. Yeah, wardrobe, what a laugh, it's really just cheap jeans, t-shirts and socks. Because of my job I regularly destroy them. To be honest because I'm pathetic at my job my skips are the ones who do the destroying. Of course, they also destroy my cars.

Both Ranger and Joe are very handsome but as the saying goes "**A man falls in love through his eyes, a woman through her ears**." I'm not sure what they see in me but neither one of them ever tells me tender words of love. I fell hard for Ranger but **the worst thing a guy can do is make a girl fall for him and not catch her**. In Joe's case I told him I loved him after Ranger got shot by Scrog and almost died. But then **how can I love you when you don't even care**. Yeah, Joe wants me to be his wife as long as I do what he wants. Losing my job, my friends and Ranger are deal breakers especially, losing Ranger. Ranger is my best friend, my mentor and on one very special night, my lover. He says that his love comes with a condom not a ring. I don't think that's love just lust. So **forget love, I'd rather fall in chocolate**.

Great, now that I'm all gorgeous in Ranger's t-shirt, my panties and some seriously floppy valentine socks someone is knocking on my door. And, guess what, there stands a smirking Joe Morelli with a pizza. I knew he didn't listen.

"Hello, Joe, what part of it's over didn't you understand? You know **the most precious possession that ever comes to a man in this world is a woman's heart **and I'm through letting you stomp all over mine. Take your pizza and go." I really love Pino's pizza but this time it just isn't worth the price.

"Come on, Cupcake, you know you don't mean that. The 'boys' really miss you." Joe spotted the bouquet of roses. "You got another stalker?"

I just growled at him. "No, Joe, a friend actually sent them to me for Valentine's Day. That's today you know and like I told you on the phone we are over and I'm not going to change my mind. I will not marry you, have your kids, clean your house, cook your meals or iron your jockey shorts. I don't want that life with or without you. You need to find a woman who does but she's not me."

Joe scowled at me. "So are the flowers from Manoso or do you have some other guy you're fucking? I'm not going to wait forever for you to come to your senses, Cupcake."

I'd had enough! "Joe, you don't have to wait at all and I'm NOT your Cupcake. To be honest I hate that name and your definition of it. I'm sick of hearing it yelled at every crime scene, written on every bathroom stall in the greater Trenton area and, most of all, I'm sick of you and my mom telling me how to live my life. Now GET OUT or, cop or not, I'll shoot your ass! You're getting to be worth the powder it will take to blow you to hell and almost worth the jail time." I opened the door, threw his pizza at him, shoved him out into the hall and slammed the door shut.

After two beers, a peanut butter sandwich and half the movie I had calmed down enough to stop snarling. Then there was another knock on my door. Well, shit! Walking over to my cookie jar, I got out my loaded 38 S&W, held it in front of me and threw open the door. Standing there in an expensive black suit with a shocked look on his face was Ranger. I dropped the gun to my side and waved him inside. Hey, since he sent me flowers the least I could do was invite him in.

I stared down at my feet and said, "Sorry, Ranger, I thought you were Joe."

Ranger just grinned at me. "Babe, why were you going to shoot Joe?"

"Because I told him on the phone that we were through and he wouldn't believe me. He just showed up at my door with a pizza and wanted sex. I tried talking to the stupid son of a bitch but he still didn't get it so I threatened to shoot his ass and threw him out of the apartment. I thought you were him coming back."

"Babe, will you please have dinner with me?" Ranger looked a little nervous which can't be right because Ranger doesn't do nervous; he never shows weakness. Maybe the job he wants me to do for him is really dangerous.

"Sure, let me get dressed. Judging by what you're wearing we must be going to a classy place, right?" Now all I have to do is find an outfit that won't embarrass him.

"Steph, you will be beautiful in whatever you choose. I was thinking Rossini's would be a good choice. What do you think?"

He knows me way too well. He knows I'm addicted to their tiramisu. "Ranger, it's going to take me a while to pull myself together. Do you want to have a beer while you wait?"

Ranger smiled and shook his head. "No, Babe, I need to run by the office for a minute to talk to Tank and pick up some things. How about if I come by to get you in an hour? Will that give you enough time?"

"Well, I can make myself halfway presentable in an hour so I'll see you then and, Ranger, thank you for the beautiful roses. They meant a lot to me."

He touched my cheek and whispered, "Stephanie, you're always more beautiful than any rose but I'm looking forward to seeing what you call 'presentable'." Then he left me standing there with my mouth open.

I dashed to my closet and started pulling out every piece of clothing I owned that could be considered classy. There wasn't much since most of my clothes were for slutty distraction jobs or bounty hunting. I didn't have a whole lot of nice clothes because nobody ever asked me for a date. Wait a minute, Batman just asked me out on a date? He told me I was beautiful, sent me roses and asked me to dinner at my favorite restaurant? Okay, I'm confused but by damn I'm going to get dressed to the nines and really enjoy myself.

A/N: Response to Black Heart Valentine challenge (Perfect Plum) and Cara and Teena's Let's Talk about Love challenge (Babe_Squad). Oh, and of course, don't own Janet Evanovich's characters just like to play with them, especially Ranger. Sadly, I'm not making any money.

Word count = 1,515


	4. Chapter 4

**WHAT ABOUT TOMORROW?**

By

Dimaris

Chapter 4: Couple

_RPOV_

I called Tank to have him meet me in my office on the 5th floor. His first words were, "So, how'd it go in DC?"

"I'm free and clear. They tried hard to get me to rethink my decision by offering me more money to renew the contract but I don't need more money I need Stephanie."

"Did you go see Bombshell? She asked me if you were alright and coming home any time soon. So is big, bad Ranger Manoso finally going to step up to the plate and get the girl?" Of course, Tank asked me that with a shit-eating grin on his face.

Hell, I didn't have to take that from him besides I was nervous enough. "Yeah, I just dropped by to update you and pick up something from my apartment then I taking Steph to dinner at Rossini's."

Before the elevator doors closed Tank took one more shot. "So, what do you need to get from the apartment?" I just shook my head and growled at him, "You don't need to know."

As I drove back to my Babe's place, I rehearsed everything I wanted to say in my head. I had the ring I bought a year ago in my pocket along with the official termination letter from the government. I prayed that she loved me enough to say "yes" because if she didn't, I would fall apart.

When I knocked, her door was opened by a vision in sky blue silk. Her dress caressed her lush figure stopping a couple of inches above her knees and the neckline dipped just to the top of her breasts showing a hint of cleavage. Her luxurious curls were loose and fell around her delicate shoulders and down her back. Instead of her favorite black FMPs she was wearing high heeled silver sandals, silver shadow over her incredible blue eyes and long, silver earrings. God, she was gorgeous.

I'd changed into a new charcoal gray Armani suit with light gray silk shirt and a gray and silver silk tie. We both just stood there and stared at each other. I was probably drooling.

Then I heard her stomach growl. "Babe, are you ready for dinner?"

Steph isn't really good at riding in a car without talking so she asked me if I could tell her where I had been for the last week or so. When I told her Washington DC, she asked if I had to go on another mission. I grinned at her and said, "Not this time, Babe."

When we walked toward our table in Rossini's, people were dialing their cell phones so fast they probably crashed the Trenton circuits and the Burg grapevine was going up in smoke. If only. Stephanie just rolled her eyes and sighed.

After we were seated and I ordered a bottle of Crystal, I took my Babe's hand in mine. It was now or never. I was scared to death.

_SPOV_

Earlier I felt sorry for myself because my Valentine's Day had gone down the toilet. There was no loving man in my life, no date, no valentine cards although Ranger did send me flowers. Now I'm sitting in my favorite restaurant with my best friend who is not dressed in black. Ranger always looked beautiful—handsome just doesn't do him justice—but tonight he wore gray and silver with his long black hair loose and diamond studs in his ears. Heaven knows, I never expected this; I might have dreamed it but Lord knows I never expected it.

Then Ranger began to speak and I was no longer able to breathe.

_RPOV_

"Babe, as I told you, I just returned from DC where I refused to renew my contract with the government."

Steph looked at me with a stunned look on her face and whispered, "What does that mean?"

"It means, Babe, that there will be no more missions to take me away from home and, except for RangeMan jobs, my life won't be dangerous. It means I can finally have a personal life and I want it with you." Stephanie started to interrupt but I held up my hand to stop her. "Please, this isn't easy for me so let me finish." She nodded her head for me continue.

"Stephanie, I love you and would like to make a life and family with you if you'll have me. I know I've said a lot of stupid and confusing things to you in the past. I have no excuses to make other than my feelings for you frightened me. Fear and panic are not emotions I've had to deal with for a long time. Then when I walked into the café to meet a new bounty hunter for Connie, you took my breath away. Babe, I'd never been in love before so I didn't know what to do. Now **I know what love is, it is because of you.**"

My Babe looked at me with tears in her eyes. She seemed to be at a loss for words. Neither one of us are very good at talking about our feelings. I'm going to have to open up even more to convince her I mean what I say.

"Ranger, you said you loved me in your own way. I just didn't know what you meant by that. You've always treated me gently and with tenderness but you seemed so distant and unfeeling. Do I understand you want a relationship with me and there are no restrictions or qualifications?"

I took her hand in mine. "First of all, Sweetheart, my name is Carlos. I desperately want a loving relationship with you. You're my best friend and I don't want to lose that closeness but I want more. Stephanie, do you only care about me as your friend or can I hope for more than that?"

She reached out and touched my cheek. "Carlos, I have been in love with you for a long time, but I didn't think you felt the same way. I never said anything because I was afraid you would stop being my friend. I just couldn't deal with the thought of losing you. I'm sure you've always known how much I wanted to be near you. After all, I would do anything for you; but after our night together you told me to go back to Morelli. That hurt and I desperately tried not to love you anymore; but **I have found the paradox that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love**."

I could hardly believe it but my Babe loved me. Slipping the ring out of my pocket I got down on one knee and with a deep breath asked, "Stephanie, will you marry me? If you want to wait, I will. If you don't want to tell anyone, I won't. Whatever you desire, I will do. Just please say 'Yes,' amante."

She slid to her knees, threw her arms around my neck and kissed me. Putting her left hand on my chest she whispered, "Yes, a thousand times yes."

I slipped the engagement ring on her finger, kissed her hand and brought her to her feet. We may not have remembered to order dinner but when we strolled out of Rossini's staring into each other's eyes, we both knew that all of our tomorrows would be a dream come true.

A/N: Response to Black Heart Valentine challenge scenario (Perfect Plum) and Cara and Teena's Let's Talk about Love challenge (Babe_Squad). Oh, and of course, don't own Janet Evanovich's characters just like to play with them, especially Ranger. Sadly, I'm not making any money.

Word count = 1,244


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Thank you to all those who requested a final chapter to this story. I agree; it needed closure._ _Oh, and of course, don't own Janet Evanovich's characters just like to play with them, especially Ranger. Sadly, I'm not making any money. Please let me know what you think. Di_

**WHAT ABOUT TOMORROW?**

By

Dimaris

Chapter 5: Denouement

_SPOV_

I awoke to a large hand stroking my belly moving lower and lower still. Another large hand attached to the muscled arm that served as my pillow held my left hand playing with the ring on my finger. My sleep clouded brain finally focused on the culmination of last night's events. Carlos asked me to be his wife, brought me to his apartment on seven at RangeMan and proceeded to ruin me for all other men again and again and again. Our one night long ago was about passion, need and release. Last night had been about love and our commitment to each other.

Turning to look over my shoulder into the warm eyes of my fiancé I whispered "thank you." He knew I meant not only the ring but his declaration and willingness to show his true feelings for me. Both of us had wasted so much time being too afraid to voice how we felt and what we wanted from each other. I kissed his shoulder and mumbled the word "bathroom." Carlos kissed my neck and released me to answer nature's call.

I returned to the bedroom and watched Carlos smile while patting the bed in front of him; I smiled back knowing exactly what the pat and look really meant. Oh boy! Then, my cell phone spit out the theme from the Exorcist. Crap! The Burg grapevine had done its evil work and my mother would now demand an explanation of the happenings at Rossini's. Double crap! I guess it was "tomorrow" and I needed to face down my mom once and for all. At least I hoped it was once and for all.

I let it go to voicemail but grabbed the offensive phone and crawled into Carlos' arms. Sighing I told him, "Guess it's time to listen to ranting family and 'friends'. As much as I would like to ignore it, I don't want to have this hanging over my head. So, here goes nothing." I pushed the button to retrieve my messages—all 48 of them. Damn! I hate living in a fishbowl, my actions scrutinized by the entire tri-state population!

The anger spewed out of the cell in 21 messages from my mother, 15 messages from Joe, 7 messages from my sister and one message each from my friends Mary Lou, Connie, Lula, Grandma Mazur and my dad. The last few were over the top excited rather than furious, well, except my dad—his was encouraging. So I decided to return the happy ones and leave the rest for later. Although I wished it could be much later I knew they had to be handled today. Otherwise, Carlos and I would have no peace.

Mary Lou yelled into my ear, "Is it true? Did Ranger propose? Did you say 'yes'? When's the wedding?" I answered with a huge grin on my face, "Yes, it's true, Carlos proposed, I happily said 'yes' and no we've not discussed the wedding. So unless you tell everyone we've eloped, you won't be too far from the truth." Lou asked, "So when are you coming by to show me the ring? I want all the details!" My smile died as I told her it would have to be tomorrow or the next day because I needed to do some serious damage control with my mother and Joe.

I had similar conversations with Connie and Lula—lots of screaming and demands for details. My grandma was just ecstatic and wanted Carlos to find her a stud muffin with a 'package' like his. Dad, on the other hand, was supportive; he told me he knew that Carlos was the right man for me. Apparently, Carlos had called my dad to ask for his blessing before dinner last night. It seems my fiancé has great manners as well as good breeding. Who knew?

My wonderful man pulled me into his arms in a tight embrace, began to nuzzle my neck and murmured in my ear, "Querida, what do you want to do about your mother and Joe?"

"I want to face them and do what I should have done long ago, but I was too afraid. I want to tell them to leave me alone, respect my decisions and let me live my own life!"

"Then that's what we'll do; but first I think we really need a shower, amante."

Yippee! I was out of bed and in the shower in a matter of seconds. From our night long ago I remembered how good, or rather excellent, Carlos was in the shower. Today he did not disappoint—a lot.

_RPOV_

We arrived at the Plum house a little before lunch time. Steph had not called her mother to announce our visit so her mother, and I use that term loosely, wasn't waiting on the stoop with her arms crossed over her chest and a scowl on her face. Instead, we found her parents, her grandma and her sister's brood, uh family, all inside. Terrific, it looks like one confrontation will do for all. Now, if Morelli was here this could be tied up quickly and we could go to Newark to tell my family assuming the gossip mongers, also known as Bobby, Lester and Tank (or BLT as Steph called them), hadn't taken care of that chore for us. I might have to kill them and, frankly, that would be a shame since I'll need their help to run RangeMan while Babe and I are on our honeymoon.

Grandma Mazur and Frank Plum grabbed both Steph and me in congratulatory hugs. I didn't know Mr. Plum could speak and laugh and hug. After all the commotion I noticed Mrs. Plum and Valerie, Steph's sister, in a stiff stance glowering at Steph. I put my arm around my Babe's waist to support her because the war was on.

Mrs. Plum's strident voice could be heard above the din as she addressed my Babe. "Stephanie, what do you think you were doing making a spectacle of yourself at Rossini's with this…man?" Somehow, I think the word 'man' was her second choice. She grabbed Babe's left hand, jerked it up and tried to remove the ring while yelling, "Give him back this ring right this minute! This nonsense has gone on long enough. I will not have you disrespecting Joseph and your family this way! You know Joseph wants to marry you. What are you thinking? What will people say?"

Straightening her spine Stephanie glared at her mother and began to speak in a firm, clear voice. "Mother, I'm 'thinking' that I am honored to marry the love of my life. I 'think' we are going to be very happy. I 'think' I never want marriage and family with Joe Morelli who, frankly, is an insufferable pig. I 'think' it's none of 'people's' business what I do and who I decide to make a life with. I 'think' you have no concern for the happiness of your thirty-year-old daughter. I 'think' you're a bitter, controlling, abusive old woman. And, mostly, I 'think' I've had enough of your attitude and interference. Therefore, from now on I will spend my time making me happy with people who love and support me. So, that means you and Valerie won't be burdened with our presence until such time as you choose to join the supporters and I expect an apology from you both. Until that happens don't bother phoning me because your calls will not be answered."

Steph turned on her heel, pulled me by the hand, kissed her dad and grandma, waved at her nieces and walked out the door. Damn, I'm so proud of her. After we shut the front door and turned toward the car, there stood Joe Morelli in his classic pissed off cop pose with his arms folded across his chest.

_SPOV_

Just perfect, Joe was standing in front of us with a smug look on his face. I hate that look. He opened his sneering mouth to yell, "Cupcake, what the hell…" and I had had enough! Responding in a calm and quiet voice I looked him straight in the eye and said, "Morelli, call me 'cupcake' one more time and I'll shoot you in the 'boys.' I don't give a damn if you're a cop. Maybe you don't remember what happened when I hit you with my Buick years ago. Trust me that experience will pale in comparison to what I will do to you if you keep up this bullshit. Just so you know I have already had this conversation with my mother so you no longer have an ally in you game of 'Let's Persecute Stephanie.' Now, I don't like to repeat myself so I won't discuss life and relationships with you. I don't want to hear it now or anytime in the future."

I grabbed Carlos' hand and moved toward the Porsche only to find the stupid idiot standing in my path and ranting, "Cupcake, don't you dare tell me you plan on marrying this…" Dropping Carlos' hand, I reached behind my back, pulled out my 38 S&W and shot Morelli in the thigh. As I lowered the gun, I adopted a confused expression and turned to my fiancé. "Oops! Darn, looks like my gun misfired. I didn't know that could happen with revolvers." I heard clapping behind us and turned to see my dad and grandma grinning like the Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland.

Dad called to me, "Pumpkin, you might want to check that weapon out. Maybe an automatic might be more your speed. Oh, don't you and Carlos worry about a thing. Edna and I will take care of reporting this little incident." Then I got the shock of my life when he turned, patted Grandma Mazur on the shoulder and escorted her into the house. Wow!

So with my dad's words and obvious approval, my future husband handed me into the Turbo and we drove away. With his support I could handle anything even old fears and uncertainties. Life is good.

_RPOV_

Two days ago I was terrified that my Babe didn't want the same life I did. Now, as we move forward, all my fears are gone and we have a limitless future. Sure, there will be trials—hopefully none involving shooting a cop—but we can deal with those and anything else as long as we're together. What about tomorrow? I'm pretty sure it's going to be filled with excitement, challenge and laughter but, most of all, love.

_Finis_


End file.
